#MazelTov The students danced under a tallit. The shofar blew. Some 30 teens at the Hadassah / Meir Shfeyah Youth Village were marking their bar and bat mitzvah ceremony, joined by their classmates, village staff plus a few of the parents who were in the country. Distinguished guests included Hadassah Youth Aliyah (YA) chair Michele Rubin, past National President Marcie Natan (fa former YA chair), and Suzanne Patt Benvenisti, executive director of Hadassah Offices in Israel. Dr. Esther Serok and her husband, Rabbi Yisrael Serok, guided these students in learning about their Jewish heritage, as part of the Joy of Judaism program funded by Hadassah. Many of the students at Meir Shfeyah came to Israel from Russia and Ukraine with minimal Jewish education. Yulia, the mother of student Ben, said: "We never had the chance to celebrate your older brothers being bar mitzvah in Russia,” she said, “I am so happy that the Meir Shfeyah village gave us the opportunity to celebrate here with you today.” The students gathered under a tallit to receive a blessing by Hadassah Office in Israel Ambassador Barbara Goldstein. The bar/bat mitzvah ceremony is sponsored by Dr. James and Joanne Smith of Minneapolis, devoted supporters of Youth Aliyah. (fb)

Act Now: May 29 marks 600 days since Hamas brutally kidnapped over 250 hostages. 58 hostages remain in Hamas captivity. Urge Congress to support bipartisan resolutions that condemn Hamas terrorism and demand the safe and immediate release of every last hostage. #BringThemHomeNow (fb)